so from someone who was around since vanilla

[Deleted]

WoW changed... arguably for the better. What now is considered friendly enviourment for casuals who can enjoy a MMO game without dealing with MMO problems seems to me like this akward game that is pretty much single player but for some reason has a multiplayer component for co-operating minority. I just cant help but find it odd that players primarily play next to each other instead of with each other.

[RickJamesLich]

The game IMO has had massive changes from what a typical MMO fan would like to one where it tries to attract people that don't like what made WoW a fun game in the first place. Thigns like progression, the awesome social environment, challenges, are becoming more and more diminished in an attempt to attract a certain type of fan base, I think in the process they are slowly making the game bleed subs tho lol.

[Jokubas]

I got the game day one, and have played it on and off since. I think my favorite era was Wrath of the Lich King, for a huge variety of reasons. I feel like Paladin was the most fun then (though the Mists of Pandaria tweaks to the Cataclysm version might surpass it for me if I could compare them directly), the flavor felt particularly Warcraft, the villain was one I'd been waiting to deal with since the Frozen Throne, and it's just when I knew the most people playing (every single one of my friends has stopped playing by now).

Overall though, I feel like Blizzard has only been doing their best to make the game better and better (even if there is occasionally an accidental step back here and there). But, I don't think I need to say that. You're clearly not one of those who are nostalgic for the gameplay, it's something else you're looking for. I miss some of the feel I got when I first played, but that was largely due to how new it was (World of Warcraft was definitely not my first MMO, but that didn't mean I went into it knowing everything). However, there was a certain... open world quality to Classic World of Warcraft that is no longer there.

For people who watched as this game went through testing, experienced Classic, and knew a lot about other MMOs at the time, the original World of Warcraft clearly had some significantly different goals that most would take for granted today. When World of Warcraft was new, MMOs strove to be virtual worlds, not just linear, story-based, traditional games with an always-online, multiplayer component. Even this game was clearly trying to be that at first. There was no single plot that led to a final boss, player housing was promised with a zone line in places like Stormwind meant to take you to the district, and there was originally going to be a craft skill meant to allow you to make things like torches to explore dark areas like caves and dungeons, among lots of other things that I can't recall at the moment. In some ways, I'm regretful that Blizzard moved away and canceled those ideas rather than expanding and bringing them together, but I think Blizzard did a really good job creating the game they did (although its effect on the rest of the MMO industry was disappointing).

well I am not saying lets go back to vanilla. I am just saying that with gears raining down from every direction. every player has a dragon or shiny/epic gear the game is just too much.
Believe me no one hated vanilla more than me. I played a druid and paladin for gods sake...

I just feel like whatever was drawing me to the world of azeroth before just isn't doing it anymore.
maybe i got older? *shrug*

When it comes to mounts and stuff, I totally agree. For the most part, I just focus on my own character's appearance (which is fairly subtle compared to most people), but sometimes it's hard to ignore in capitals, especially when people are standing on NPCs or the mailbox. While individuals really don't have to worry about looking like clowns anymore, a group of people will look more ridiculous than ever. No one matches. This guy's got a glowing purple dragon the size of a tank and is wearing gaudy teal armor, next to him is a woman wearing a yellow robe on a white yak, next to that is a guy with a mount and armor that are on fire. In a vacuum, any one of these things might look really cool. Together it just looks like utter chaos. Sometimes I wish that they kept to racial mount variations and that's it. XP

[MoanaLisa]

well I am not saying lets go back to vanilla. I am just saying that with gears raining down from every direction. every player has a dragon or shiny/epic gear the game is just too much.
Believe me no one hated vanilla more than me. I played a druid and paladin for gods sake...

I just feel like whatever was drawing me to the world of azeroth before just isn't doing it anymore.
maybe i got older? *shrug*

That's probably part of it. It's a bit much to expect a game that you apparently hated when it was new--"No one hated vanilla more than me", your words--to be some new experience ten years later. I'm not quite sure what your point is. A game you didn't much care for 10 years ago is still a game you don't much care for.

OK.

[Louis CK]

That which must not be named!

[Aucald]

WoW today (in the sunset of the MoP expansion) is a lot different from WoW vanilla or classic - so different that graphical and story assets aside it may as well be a different game altogether. If you started the game in Classic and haven't rolled with the changes over the years you'll have a very visceral reaction, which will either be instant love all over again or extreme distaste bordering on hatred for the state of the game now. I can't blame people who return to WoW after lengthy absences and say "it's just too different and I can't get into it like I could," although I personally think that the mechanical systems behind the game itself may well be at their peak.

[Shimazaki]

Hello everyone!

I am playing WoW since release, even got Warlord / Field Marshal rank from Vanilla ( those were the fun times with BG premade, 14hours+/day Honor grind )
I must say im fan of every WoW expansion, i just like the game in general, playing all PvE, PvP.

I dont know what ppl expect, some ppl leave the game because of PvP, some for PvE i dont know. As long as im enjoying the game im gonna play it.


Best regards,

Shimazaki

[Marema]

Played since launch; raided hardcore in vanilla and most of BC. Got old and responisble and can't devote as much time to the game. Love the state of the game now and would never in no way shape or form go back to what it was like in vanilla.

[Drilnos]

Played since the middle of Vanilla. In terms of both gameplay and aesthetics I vastly prefer what the game has become over the game that it used to be.

[Itisamuh]

Was Vanilla simpler? Funnily people here claim the game was more complex then and is now "dumbed down". I guess I have no idea what you want to tell us. Too many mounts make the game less simple or what?

When people complain about Warcraft being simplified and dumbed down now, they mean mechanically. Feature wise, it was much simpler in Vanilla. Similar to how the first Halo is the simplest, yet has the highest skill cap.

[yjmark]

WoW today (in the sunset of the MoP expansion) is a lot different from WoW vanilla or classic - so different that graphical and story assets aside it may as well be a different game altogether. If you started the game in Classic and haven't rolled with the changes over the years you'll have a very visceral reaction, which will either be instant love all over again or extreme distaste bordering on hatred for the state of the game now. I can't blame people who return to WoW after lengthy absences and say "it's just too different and I can't get into it like I could," although I personally think that the mechanical systems behind the game itself may well be at their peak.

You really think they are that different. imho, Vanilla and MoP are not that different. 90% is the same. Most of the changes are quite minor when you look at the game as a whole. It's still the same basic gameplay - quest to level, get gear to increase your stats, grind and raid at max level.

Yeah, the skills/talents have changed over time. The amount of people with epic gear has changed. The attitude of the playerbase has changed a lot. However, the game itself is still very very similar to how it was in vanilla.

[Zoneseek]

Ive played since vanilla. I don't really have any drive to play anymore. I haven't been subbed since january or february or something, whenever I get the itch for some standard mmo action I just scratch it with gw2 and rift. I WOULD play some wow and check whats going on in it if it was f2p but im not paying monthly for it. I have so many games I want to play and so little time to play them, when im subbed to a mmo I feel a draw to play it, so im just not playing any sub based mmo's anymore.

[Antti]

When people complain about Warcraft being simplified and dumbed down now, they mean mechanically. Feature wise, it was much simpler in Vanilla. Similar to how the first Halo is the simplest, yet has the highest skill cap.

No they don't.
When people complain about WoW being simplified, they are talking about the loss of time sinks that only the "hardcore" would do. i.e., attunements, leveling professions, farming resistance gear.
From a mechanics point of view, the game has unarguably become more and more complex while also lowering the entrance requirements (an easy to learn, difficult to master philosophy).
Vanilla was not mechanically more complex, Vanilla was a logistics nightmare and that's why so few people saw endgame. To be "hardcore" in Vanilla, you had to put time in and not necessarily have skill (be carried in 40 mans).
Rotations are vastly more complex (button bloat discussions) and boss mechanics are incredibly complex. (I'm not talking about LFR, but normal/heroic)

- - - Updated - - -

You really think they are that different. imho, Vanilla and MoP are not that different. 90% is the same. Most of the changes are quite minor when you look at the game as a whole. It's still the same basic gameplay - quest to level, get gear to increase your stats, grind and raid at max level.

Yeah, the skills/talents have changed over time. The amount of people with epic gear has changed. The attitude of the playerbase has changed a lot. However, the game itself is still very very similar to how it was in vanilla.

The part that's bolded is the part that has changed.
Leveling, gearing and raiding all have changed.

[TheBigPapi]

The game IMO has had massive changes from what a typical MMO fan would like to one where it tries to attract people that don't like what made WoW a fun game in the first place. Thigns like progression, the awesome social environment, challenges, are becoming more and more diminished in an attempt to attract a certain type of fan base, I think in the process they are slowly making the game bleed subs tho lol.

Yes, a million times yes. This is exactly whats been going on

[Dasani]

I've played since the start.

As far as healing goes, WOTLK was the best era for healing imo. Lots of fun to be had there. For tanking, i'll give that to early MOP (before the recent vengeance nerf) because monks are just damn fun to play and tank on.

Healing changes in cata were retarded and made it not fun or interesting, homogenized everything and made it dull. New vengeance nerf wasn't needed and is pretty ridiculous. Should've just fixed the paladin class from being able to cheese mechanics and be OP with their scaling instead of nerf veng across the board because undergeared dps get butt hurt when a tank beats them on an AOE trash pull.

As far as DPS goes, I think i've had more fun DPSing on my monk in MOP than i've ever had DPSing before. I've always stayed away from dps, favoring tanking and healing roles because i just found the dps quite boring, but windwalker is addictingly fun to play. You lack the unfront burst everyone else does when they all pop their CDs and have trinkets/enchants all firing all simultaneously at the start of the fight, but as the fight goes on you catch up and beat the rest with your sustained, assuming you're good at what you do. It's great times.

Aside from a few retarded things blizzard does now and then like forcing dailies down your throat and up your ass at MOP launch, the game has steadily gotten better over the years on the whole.

[mistahwilshire]

I've enjoyed every era of WoW except Wrath. Each expansion has its highs and lows and Vanilla certainly wasn't flawless by any means.

- - - Updated - - -

The game IMO has had massive changes from what a typical MMO fan would like to one where it tries to attract people that don't like what made WoW a fun game in the first place. Thigns like progression, the awesome social environment, challenges, are becoming more and more diminished in an attempt to attract a certain type of fan base, I think in the process they are slowly making the game bleed subs tho lol.

Except not, because there is more challenge available than there has ever been if you're actually looking for that.

[Unclekreepy]

well I am not saying lets go back to vanilla. I am just saying that with gears raining down from every direction. every player has a dragon or shiny/epic gear the game is just too much.
Believe me no one hated vanilla more than me. I played a druid and paladin for gods sake...

I just feel like whatever was drawing me to the world of azeroth before just isn't doing it anymore.
maybe i got older? *shrug*

NOTHING feels special.


I remember the days when I made it my duty to know who the best guild on the server was.. these days I couldn't care less cause it's not as special as it used to be.

[RickJamesLich]

Except not, because there is more challenge available than there has ever been if you're actually looking for that.

Not really, have you tried questing? Heroics? Even in pvp, you can get a full set of gear, even if you lose 90% of your matches lol. Only thing left is raiding, and even then, they have "easy mode" versions of it. Definitely less challenges then before.

[majesta]

Been playing since original FFA of Vanilla. The game has improved in most areas, but the atmosphere and Blizzard's attitude has become toxic.

There is a complete lack of community. I played on Dragonmaw US since Day 1 launch. Out of 240+ NA servers, Dmaw sits in the middle of them for 5.4 progression already. This server has been dead the last 6 months. Most of the guilds transferred off at the beginning of the year because the server was dead even then. They couldn't recruit people to the server and Blizzard for years has said, we realize realm populations are an issue, but still do nothing. They care about the Transfer Fee's more than making a product or solution that would bring enjoyment. Virtual realms are already a joke.

The thing I miss the most about the older WoW is that you could explore and find things. The world was unknown. Now you are expected to know everything about the next content patch, next expansion before it launches. Guilds make demands you read up on and watch strategy videos before the first new raid or else your spot goes to someone else who did. There is no "ooh that is cool" discovery moments left.

I feel flying mounts destroyed the following: exploration, world PvP, questing, community.

I also dislike Blizzards attitude towards an evolving world and their argument of it takes time to add anything to the game. Really? Stormwind front entrance sat destroyed forever. Couldn't they directed an intern to create a couple of quests that sent you to older zones to get stuff to repair the damage. To do stone work you need stone, sand, scaffolds that require wood. There was a lot of opportunity to use existing assets and just drop a simple quest chain or dailies that gave rep, a satchel with a chance of a mini pet or rare mount. Hell anything. There is a real lack of immersion for Warcraft.

[frogger237]

Played they game since vanilla beta, Ive always had to take breaks from the game(been subbed entire time). Its been the only game that has been interesting enough for me to continue to come back tho.